Basseterre, Saint Kitts, November 06, 2026 (SKNIS): Over 150 children across Saint Kitts and Nevis with serious medical conditions that required treatment outside of the Federation have benefitted from the Children’s Medical Fund, administered by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Prime Minister, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, introduced the fund in 2022 when he assumed office. The financial assistance has been a critical lifeline for scores of disadvantaged families, who could not afford to pay for the medical intervention that their children desperately needed.
During the Roundtable engagement with the press on Thursday (November 05, 2026), Prime Minister Drew stated that a total of 152 children received assistance between 2023 and 2026.
“The Children’s Medical Fund is the only one of its type in this region where any child who gets sick and has to necessarily go further for treatment they get it. So the parents don’t have to depend on a sponsor sheet to determine if the child gets medical care or not,” Dr. Drew said, referring to past instances where parents were forced to appeal to the public for financial contributions to cover the high cost of the medical treatment that their child desperately needed.
“Most of these children would have been dead had it not been for this,” the prime minister added, highlighting the importance of saving lives and giving every child the opportunity to grow up healthy.
Honourable Dr. Drew, who is also the Minister of Finance and Health, noted that the proposed universal healthcare for Saint Kitts and Nevis will offer similar benefits to adults without private insurance or employer-provided insurance. However, he added that broader public discussions on financing universal healthcare will be necessary.
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